This item reminds me of the report in the Upper Canada Railway Society newsletter (8/72) on the numerous detour moves of EL freights through southern Ontario after the Agnes washouts. It stated that both CN and CP added their own cabooses to every consist because "the EL cabooses were in decrepit condition", and to prove the point there was a photo of BWC C328 with a CP caboose coupled behind. It also said "The EL cabooses used were out of storage and not the regular ones used". I found it odd that EL would go to the trouble of substituting out of service cabeese for regular ones when it saw fit to send their locomotives into Ontario. Newly bankrupt and with the mainline washed out, you'd think they had more important things to worry about. So this inspection report indicates to me that perhaps the cabeese were in fact the in-service ones and they were generally poorly maintained. C328 was part of the series built for the Erie by International Car in 1953-54. Comments, anyone? Paul B I see the Museum has EL Caboose #345 in its collection. Looking at our WNYRHS Bison Yard Collection I found a New York State Dept of Labor inspection report on #345 dated 10-18-73. Six items are noted needing correction. I believe this inspection was brought about by complaints from the UTU concerning the general condition of EL cabooses. I ask that anyone on the list who has contact with the museum see to it that they receive a copy of this for their files. Thanks, Ronald R. Dukarm ELHS #532 ELHTS #66 rdukarm_@_adelphia.net The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List Sponsored by the ELH&TS http://www.elhts.org ------------------------------
This HTML page is © 2000-2008 Blue Moon Online System and The Railfan Network
This page and the data contained therein may not be reproduced
for any form of commercial use without the explicit permission
of J. Henry Priebe Jr. or his duly authorized agent.